Feathering paddle-wheel



(No Model.) 3 SheetsSheet 1.

G. T. RIGUEL. PEATHERING PADDLB WHEEL.

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(No Model.)

G. RIGUEL. 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

FEATHERING PADDLE WHEEL. No. 479,528. Patented July 26, 1892,

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l EEATHERING-PADDLE WHEEL. No. 479,528. Patented July 26, 1892.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE THULBURN RIGUEL, OF PLAINFIELD, NEW JERSEY.

FEATH ER ING PADDLE-WHEEL.

SPECIFICATIONTorming part of Letters Patent NO. 47 9,528, dated July 26,1892.

Application filed October 14, 1891. Serial No. 408,713- (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE THULBURN RIGUEL, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Plainfield, in the county of Union and State of NewJersey, have invented a new and useful Feathering Paddle-Wheel, of whichthe following is a specification.

My invention consists. in arranging the vanes or paddles by a system ofguides, cranks, pins, or rollers, or both pins and rollers, so that ifentirely submerged in a flowing medium a rotative action will occur onthree sides of the wheel, tending to turn it in one direction, the vaneson the other side of the wheel being more or less parallel with theflow; or if partly or entirely submerged in a medium in a state of resta flowing motion will be given to the medium when the shaft or axis isrotated upon which the wheel is fastened. The movements given to thevanes or paddles are not entirely new, chains and gears having been usedor proposed to obtain approximately the same movements of the vanes orpaddles.

The advantages which I claim for my invention are less liability toderangement and ease of movement of the vanes or paddles...

In the drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation and Fig. 2 is a section. Fig.3 is a view showing the positions of the vanes or paddles when they arefastened at right angles to the cranks and the positions of the guidesreversed. Fig. 4 is an elevation of a vane or paddle and crank as usedin Fig. Fig. 5 is asectional View of the guides C of Fig. 1, showing thefacing O and a method of adjustment for the facings. Fig. 6 is a planview of a wheel where the width of the vanes exceeds the length of thecranks. Fig. 7 is a section through W X of Fig. 6 with a crank and vaneor paddle in elevation as used in Fig. 6.

Figs. 1 and 2 show the principles of my iu vention quite fully, theother views being modifications adapted to special uses.

In Fig. l, A is a guide plate or support, on which are formed orfastened the main guide B and the auxiliaryguides 0', C C M, M, and M Mand M being the compounded ends of M. The axis of the main guideB is atJ. Eccentric to J is axis K, common to guide-support A and the wheel. Onthe opposite side of A there is formed or fastened a rack or gear D withaxis at K. Gear II gears with D and is fastened to shaft I. It followsthat by turning shaft I from the wheel-house guidesupport A will revolvewith the guides. The sections E E E 850., are sections of pins orrollers, or both pins and rollers, which are socured to the ends ofdouble cranks F. (Shown in Figs. 2 and 4:.) The sections are connectedwith simple straight lines to enable the eye to keep them in pairs andshow the positions of the vanes or paddles when fastened parallel withthe cranks. At the center of the straight lines are small circles torepresent the cen tral axis L, common to vane and crank. The cranks arefastened to the vanes or paddles and the action is as follows: At pointX the vane or paddle F. will be at a right angle with the lines ofresistance; but if while passing point X the vane or paddle shouldstrike a solid substance at its outer edge the pin or roller in theguide-course might lag behind and cause the vane or paddle to offer adecided resistance to the revolution of the wheel, as the angle of thevane or paddle to the lines of resistance would be wrong. Guide 0 isplaced here to prevent such an occurrence of the vanes or paddles, andwill be adjusted so as to slightly tip the crank and vane while passingpoint X, as shown by the skeleton figure E Guide M may be slightlyhollowed at this point, as shown at point WV in Fig. 8, to allow for thetipping. passing point X the vane and crank will assume the positions ofE E E, due, until it arrives at guide 0 Here roller E, which has assumedthe positions of E E 850., will be thrown inward by guide 0 and theroller will then take the position of E, having made one-half of arevolution about axis L during one revolution of the wheel on axis K. Ifnow shaft I be turned from the wheelhouse, the relation of the vanes tothe lines of resistance will be changed.

In the case of a current water-wheel, if the rotation of shaft I bediscontinued midway between points W and X the vanes will be nearlyparallel with the flow and the wheel will stop. If the rotation of shaftI be continued until point X occupies the position of point W, themotion of the wheel will be reversed or will continue in the samedirection with a change of tide.

After In the case of a paddle-wheel shaft I may be used to reverse thewheel instead of reversing the engine, as is usual. The revolution ofguide-support A thus forms a means for regulating, stopping, orreversing the wheel; but instead of shaftland gearsI-Iand Dguide-support A may be moved by hydraulic or other suitablearrangements. When used as a paddle-wheel, guide plate or support A maybe fastened to the vessel, the reversing being done with the engine andshaft I, gears H and D omitted, as shown in Figs. 3 and 6.

Reference-letters 0 indicate separate removable facings on the guides,which may be adjusted in any suitable manner, the facings shown on O and0 being adjusted by screws P. The facings may be made of any materialsuitable to the use for which the wheels are used. Theoretically thefacings are not necessary for the movement of the vanes or paddles, andin case of current water-wheels, where the motion is slow and the guidesconstantly lubricated, the guides may be made without separate facings,as O and C in Fig. 3. Where the motion will be rapid, as inpaddle-wheels and propellers for air-boats,I believe the facings andadjustability will be a necessity for practical and economic working.

In Fig. 3 the heavy dotted lines Gr represent the vanes or paddles. Ibelieve this arrangement is better adapted to the purposes of apaddle-wheel than the arrangement of Fig. 1, as the water has a betterchance for a rapid passage through the wheel with the same number ofvanes or paddles as Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a plan View of a wheel where the width of the vanes exceedsthe length of the cranks and which may be desirable in windmills andair-propellers. Guide B is shown with a facing O, and the guide isrevoluble about its axis J, either by the friction of the pins orrollers E, or it may be driven from axis K. By this means the wear ofthe pins or rollers is greatly reduced and they will also run smoother.The guide is provided with arms, and in case of small wheels may be madequite light.

R is an eccentric, which forms the axis upon which B'revolves and may beformed on support A, as shown, or in case of large wheels may be madeseparate and fastened on A.

I am aware that the buckets in water and paddle wheels have been pivotedand in some cases their positions have been regulated by crank-arms inslots. In my improvements there are two crank-pins to each bucket andthey are rotated upon their pivots a halfrevolution each revolution ofthe wheel upon its axis, and the buckets are held firmly in theirvarious positions bysuch crank-pins.

I claim as my invention-- 1. The combination, with the shaft and wheel,of buckets pivoted to the wheel and having their edges equidistant ateach side of the pivots, a cross-arm connected with a pivot of eachbucket and two crank-pins near the ends of such arm, and a cam-sloteccentric to the axis of the wheel, receiving the respective crank-pins,such slot being open at one side and provided with stationary auxiliaryguides for moving the respective crank-pins out of and into sucheccentric slot, substantially as specified.

2. The combination, with the shaft and wheel, of buckets pivoted to thewheel and having their edges equidistant at each side of the pivots, across-arm connected with a pivot of each bucket and two crank-pins nearthe ends of such arm, a cam-slot eccentric to the axis of the wheel,receiving the respective crank-pins, such slot being open at one sideand provided with stationary auxiliary guides O O for moving therespective crank-pins out of and into such eccentric slot, and theguiding-cam 0 substantially as specified.

8. The combination, with the shaft and wheel, of buckets pivoted to thewheel and having their edges equidistant at each side of the pivots, acrossarm connected with the pivot of each bucket and two crank-pins nearthe ends of such arm, a cam-slot eccentric to the axis of the wheel,which slot receives the respective crank-pins and is open at one side,and stationary auxiliary guides having separate removable faces formoving the respective crank-pins as they pass out of and into theeccentric slot, substantially as specified.

4. The combination, with the shaft and wheel, of buckets pivoted to thewheel and having their edges equidistant at each side of the pivots, across-arm connected with the pivot of each bucket and two crank-pinsnear the ends of such arm, a cam-slot eccentric to the axis of thewheel, which slot receives the respective crank-pins and is open at oneside, stationary auxiliary guides having adj ustingscrews, and separateremovable faces for moving the respective crank-pins as they pass out ofand into the eccentric slot, substantially as specified.

5. The combination, with the shaft and wheel, of buckets pivoted to thewheel and having their edges equidistant at each side.

of the pivots, a cross-arm connected with a pivot of each bucket and twocrank-pins near the ends of such arm, a plate surrounding thewheel-shaft and having a cam-slot eccentric to the axis of the wheel,andmechanism for turning the plate and the parts carried by it, the slotreceiving the respective crankpins and being open at one side, andauxiliary guides connected to the plate and moving the respectivecrank-pins out of and into such eccentric slot, substantially asspecified.

6. The combination, with the shaft and wheel, of buckets pivoted to thewheel and having their edges equidistant at each side of the pivots, across-arm connected with the pivot of each bucket and two crank-pinsnear the ends of such arm, a cam-slot eccentric to the axis of the wheeland having a removable facing at one side of the slot, the slot beingopen at one side, and auxiliary guides for moving the respectivecrank-pins out of and into the eccentric s1ot,substantia1ly as side ofthe eccentric cam-slot, substantially as specified. set forth. v

7. The combination with the shaft and wheel, of buckets pivoted to thewheel, el-ehk- GEORGE THULBURN L' 5 arms connected with the buckets, anda plate Witnesses:

having an eccentric cam-slot and a circular GEORGE W. DEMEZER, Wheel,the periphery of which forms the inner H. O. HANCE.

